While Visions of Ranger Danced In Her Head
by SueB3
Summary: Steph has made a big decision and she really needs to talk to Ranger. There's only one little problem. Advice to Babes -- keep reading. Another challenge response for PP.


Not my characters, they belong to Janet Evanovich, but as long as Ranger can come out and play I can live with that.

**While Visions of Ranger Danced in Her Head**

by

SueB

Hot Flashes!

I kicked off the sheet and cracked one eyelid open far enough to check out the clock.

12:01 a.m.

Figures.

Cold Sweats!

Grabbed the sheet and bedspread; pulled them both tight around my neck.

12:03 a.m.

Confining sheet and bedspread resulted in Claustrophobia!

12:06 a.m.

It's my wedding day.

Or, it would have been if I hadn't phoned the groom ten minutes ago to call it off.

He wasn't happy. My mother would be apoplectic.

Deep gasping breaths! Hyperventilation!

Okay, I get it! My body is reacting to my choices. Enough already.

Bouncing out of bed, I ran to the window. I needed air. The blind made a satisfying 'whoop, whoop, whoop' sound as it rolled up tight.

Tugging the window open, I gulped in huge mouthfuls of Trenton's finest pollution.

That's when I saw the shooting star. And, I made a wish.

It was foolish. I know only school girls wish on stars and my school girl status ran out ages ago but I made it anyway. My wish could never come true but somehow putting it out there made me feel better.

I didn't expect to sleep but, I climbed back into bed anyway and closed my eyes.

Big mistake. Whenever I shut my eyes Ranger was lurking there looking like he did the last time I had seen him almost a year ago.

He'd come to the bond office, held out his hand and said, "Lunch, Babe?"

He didn't look any different that day dressed as he was in his usual black cargoes and collared shirt but the way he looked at me, with his eyes impossibly dark, took my breath away.

I'd never been to the little Mediterranean restaurant where Ranger took me, but the owners seemed to know him. An older man came out from behind the bar with a big smile on his face and a woman emerged from the kitchen wiping her hands on her apron. The woman blushed and laughed when Ranger planted a kiss on her cheek and spoke to her in rapid Spanish.

The man gave crisp directions to the hostess, a young woman who tripped over her own feet because she was watching Ranger instead of where she was going. He had that effect on young women. Hell, he had that effect on old women. Embarrassed, the girl led us to a tiny table in the rear where Ranger could sit with his back to the wall. Yes, the owners knew him.

He held my chair and sent a shiver down my back when he lifted my hair and placed a soft kiss on the back of my neck. I know we ordered food but, except for one bite, I don't remember eating it. Ranger took a crust of chewy bread and dipped it in a dish of flavored oil. Carefully he topped it with an olive and he fed the crust to me.

Ranger usually didn't tell me when he was going 'in the wind' but suddenly this felt like goodbye.

"You're going away," I said -- a statement, not a question.

He held my eyes and nodded.

The next part was hard for me to say. "And you don't think that you'll be back."

He didn't disagree.

Ranger cherished me that afternoon but neither of us said, 'I love you.'

I regretted that two months later when they came and told me he was gone.

Terrific, I thought. Now I've made myself cry on top of being terrified about having to explain why there isn't going to be a wedding. Two big tears ran down my face. Being a glutton for punishment, I grabbed my cell phone from the bedside table and hit 1 on the speed dial.

It was Ranger's number. After Tank told me they were going to keep it in service for at least a year, I dialed it now and then. It always took three rings before I heard his voice. "Talk!" was all the message said. Not much, but it was something. How pathetic could I be?

Ranger had been my friend – my best friend. I really needed to talk to him. Maybe tonight I'd leave him a message. Tell him that I loved him. Who knew, heaven might have voice mail access.

I waited for the rings.

One.

Two.

"Yo."

_Oh my God! My wish came true! My wish came true! My wish came true!_

My heart threatened to pound out of my chest. I must have fallen asleep; I had to be dreaming. Didn't matter, I'd go with it.

"Ranger?" I whispered.

"Babe."

"Ranger, you answered your cell."

"Thought I was supposed to, Babe."

"You haven't answered your cell in more than nine months."

"I've been a little tied up."

Oh God! Did he mean that literally? Was he okay? Where was he? Did it matter since I was dreaming? No. He was on the line. Just talk to him!!

"Ranger, I'm so glad you answered."

His voice pitched lower and I heard a hint of sadness as he said, "You're getting married."

"You knew that?" He knew that. How did he know that? "No, I'm not. I mean, I was but now I'm not. That's one reason I needed to talk to you. You see I couldn't get married because I..........."

He interrupted me. "You're not...................getting married?"

"No, I called it off." I looked at the clock. 12:32 a.m. "About forty minutes ago."

"Babe."

Did he sound happier? I almost thought I heard a chuckle.

"It was all wrong, Ranger. I never should have agreed to begin with, but I was numb when you disappeared. Joe and my mother kept pressuring me and...............," I took a shaky breath, "...............and until tonight, I didn't have the energy to fight them."

"What made you change your mind?"

He seemed eager to know.

"Tonight, all I could think about was you. I could never make Joe happy. I'm not really what he wants and I know for certain he wouldn't make me happy."

"Why not, Babe?"

"Because," I cried out, "I don't love Joe the way that I................" Uh. Oh.

"The way what, Babe?" His voice was deep, hushed, coaxing it out of me.

I finished on a sob, "the way that I love you, Ranger."

"Babe," he said softly, "it's okay. I love you too."

I was crying in earnest now. "No, it's not okay. I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't be bothering you in heaven. But I had to tell you. I love you so much. I've always loved you."

Wait a minute. What did he say?

"I said I love you too, Babe. Have for a long time."

Did he know what I was thinking. Do you automatically know everything when you're in heaven.

"And, Babe."

"Yeah."

"I'm not in heaven."

"What do you mean you're not in heaven?" I yelled. "Why aren't you in heaven! God would never send you anywhere but heaven!"

I dropped the phone when I heard my door locks tumble, felt the tingle on my neck.

Then there he was. Filling the doorway to my bedroom. Dressed in black and smelling of Bulgari.

"But they said you were....." I couldn't say the word.

"Babe, reports of my dea........"

"No, that's not funny!" I cried. "This is a wonderful dream, but when I wake up it's going to be a nightmare."

"Not a dream, Babe."

It took three steps for him to get across the room. The bed dipped when he sat down beside me. No dream or ghost could do that surely. He unbuttoned his shirt, captured my hand and held it to his heart. His skin was smooth and warm, his chest was hard and his heart beat with a strong and steady rhythm.

"Now do you believe me?" he asked brushing his lips against mine.

"Hard not to," I replied, "but maybe you had better pinch me just to make sure I'm awake."

"Ouch!" I squealed when he did just that.

********

My phone rang at 5:48 a.m. Ranger was still in my bed -- even in the light of day. Big and warm and solid and alive! I checked caller ID.

"It's my mother," I told him. "She must have heard the news."

Ranger smiled. "Actually, I'm surprised she didn't call hours ago," he said.

"I'm not sure what to tell her," I fretted.

"Tell her," Ranger suggested hopefully, "that you're getting married. Just not today and not to Joe. Tell her," he said his eyes full of promise, "that you're starting over and you've got it right this time."

That sounded like a plan.

The End.


End file.
